David Merkel: US to lift some sanctions before Belarus elections
David Merkel, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, has told the European Radio for Belarus that the United States intends to ease sanctions against the official Minsk ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections in Belarus.
- Mr. Merkel, the US has sent many messages to Belarusian authorities using different means and channels: media, diplomacy. Do you think that these appeals played their additional role? That without them sanctions as they were wouldn't be enough for Belarusian government to change its policy?
- I think what's important here, in our messages, is the important that the US places on Belarus, on the future of Belarus and the importance of the upcoming elections. We'd like to see progress in Belarus. We welcomed the step that the government took releasing all the political prisoners. This is an important improvement. Belarus is in Europe, it is an important country and we hope to see other actions take place so we can significantly improve US - Belarus relations.
- If no oppositional candidate wins the elections and the parliament will be again fully controled by progovernmental forces is there any plan which the US is going to follow to respond to this? Or basically the result isn't so important if the whole pre-election and election procedure goes in more democratic way?
- The elections haven't take place yet. We are pleased that all the candidates get their airtime on TV, radio, that there are opportunities for opposition to be in newspapers. We're pleased that so many candidates are participating. We think that it's important that the international observers have access to the voting, to the vote count, to the posted protocols. We expect the Central election commission to ensure this. But don't want to comment on the outcome of elections that will happen in a couple of weeks.
- Let's talk then about the events which already took place to show that the US has noticed the positive steps of Belarusian authorities.. I mean the lifting of sanctions against two Belarusian enterprises. The sanctions are lifetd for 6 months meaning that in March 2009 you are going to review and decide whether some progress has been done and whether to keep the lift or do some other steps. Am I right?
- We wanted to be responsive to the action that Belarusian authorities took by releasing all political prisoners, we took the action that you mentioned (lifting the sanctions – A.V.), we are considering additional actions before the elections and we want to take a look at what further steps we can take if there is progress in the elections.
- You mean, there sanctions against Belneftekhim can be lifted before the elections?
- We're still considering this so I'm not in the position to talk about it today.
- Some politicians including former political prisoners have reasons to say that their release wasn't fully executed by authorities. For instance, Mr. Kazulin's criminal record wasn't cleaned which means that he will not be able to participate in next presidential elections. Will the US raise this issue with Belarusian authorities? Or maybe you think that once a person is physically out of the jail the job is done?
- I don't want to diminish the importance of the decision taken by the government, decision that the US and the others have been asking for, for some time. It's a significant improvement in the situation: Belarus holds no political prisoners. Mr. Kazulin's future and his ambition is something that obviously needs to be considered and we will obviously be looking into that.
- Many of our listeners in Belarus may be concerned with the situation with the embassy and difficulties which thay may have in obtaining visas and maintaining contacts with people in the US. Imagining that Ambassador Khvostov goes back to Washington, are you ready to send a new ambassador to Belarus?
- We would like to see the progress in relations with Belarusian government reaching the point when we will be able to have a fully functioning embassy. We're not going to send and ambassador back to the embassy which has only five diplomats. ...Belarusian authorities made a noticeable progress and we hope it will continue and will lead to the better cooperation between US and Belarus.
David Merkel also clarified that the US had not taken a final decision regarding Belneftekhim, Belarus's petrochemical monopoly.
Check our web site for a detailed interview with David Merkel.
- Mr. Merkel, the US has sent many messages to Belarusian authorities using different means and channels: media, diplomacy. Do you think that these appeals played their additional role? That without them sanctions as they were wouldn't be enough for Belarusian government to change its policy?
- I think what's important here, in our messages, is the important that the US places on Belarus, on the future of Belarus and the importance of the upcoming elections. We'd like to see progress in Belarus. We welcomed the step that the government took releasing all the political prisoners. This is an important improvement. Belarus is in Europe, it is an important country and we hope to see other actions take place so we can significantly improve US - Belarus relations.
- If no oppositional candidate wins the elections and the parliament will be again fully controled by progovernmental forces is there any plan which the US is going to follow to respond to this? Or basically the result isn't so important if the whole pre-election and election procedure goes in more democratic way?
- The elections haven't take place yet. We are pleased that all the candidates get their airtime on TV, radio, that there are opportunities for opposition to be in newspapers. We're pleased that so many candidates are participating. We think that it's important that the international observers have access to the voting, to the vote count, to the posted protocols. We expect the Central election commission to ensure this. But don't want to comment on the outcome of elections that will happen in a couple of weeks.
- Let's talk then about the events which already took place to show that the US has noticed the positive steps of Belarusian authorities.. I mean the lifting of sanctions against two Belarusian enterprises. The sanctions are lifetd for 6 months meaning that in March 2009 you are going to review and decide whether some progress has been done and whether to keep the lift or do some other steps. Am I right?
- We wanted to be responsive to the action that Belarusian authorities took by releasing all political prisoners, we took the action that you mentioned (lifting the sanctions – A.V.), we are considering additional actions before the elections and we want to take a look at what further steps we can take if there is progress in the elections.
- You mean, there sanctions against Belneftekhim can be lifted before the elections?
- We're still considering this so I'm not in the position to talk about it today.
- Some politicians including former political prisoners have reasons to say that their release wasn't fully executed by authorities. For instance, Mr. Kazulin's criminal record wasn't cleaned which means that he will not be able to participate in next presidential elections. Will the US raise this issue with Belarusian authorities? Or maybe you think that once a person is physically out of the jail the job is done?
- I don't want to diminish the importance of the decision taken by the government, decision that the US and the others have been asking for, for some time. It's a significant improvement in the situation: Belarus holds no political prisoners. Mr. Kazulin's future and his ambition is something that obviously needs to be considered and we will obviously be looking into that.
- Many of our listeners in Belarus may be concerned with the situation with the embassy and difficulties which thay may have in obtaining visas and maintaining contacts with people in the US. Imagining that Ambassador Khvostov goes back to Washington, are you ready to send a new ambassador to Belarus?
- We would like to see the progress in relations with Belarusian government reaching the point when we will be able to have a fully functioning embassy. We're not going to send and ambassador back to the embassy which has only five diplomats. ...Belarusian authorities made a noticeable progress and we hope it will continue and will lead to the better cooperation between US and Belarus.
David Merkel also clarified that the US had not taken a final decision regarding Belneftekhim, Belarus's petrochemical monopoly.
Check our web site for a detailed interview with David Merkel.
